The Price of Newt Gingrich's Ambition

In 1976, fresh off his second failed congressional bid, Newt Gingrich did what any reasonable man in his shoes would have done: He decided that he would run for president, tentatively scheduling his future campaign for 2000 or 2004. "We were all discussing the timing, his age, working out the one-term and two-term presidencies in between," someone close to the then-political novice told Vanity Fair two decades later, shortly after Gingrich had ascended to the position of speaker of the House. "I think the plan is still going. I think he will be president."

Gingrich may have missed his deadline by eight to 12 years, but finally he has realized his plan—well, the campaign side of it, anyway. Along the way, he and his supporters have spent tens of millions in the quest to cement his status in the annals of American political legends. Here's a look at how much money Gingrich and his affiliated political groups (once known as "Newt Inc.") have gone through since the late '80s: